Nothing too taxing in this one, although as usual there were one or two references that I confirmed afterwards.
I will be away after today so apologies if I do not respond to any comments promptly
| Across | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MICROPHONIC – CROP,HO(ps) in MINI = tiny,C(reatures) | |
| 7 | HAND AND FOOT – double definitions | |
| 13 | RANGE – (g)RANGE is the country house | |
| 14 | RAGTIME – RAGE around TIM(othy). There are two books of Timothy in the Bible | |
| 15 | ISOPROPYL – (POOR SPY)* in I,L(iberal) | |
| 16 | SPLASH OUT – LASH = tie, in SPOUT = jet | |
| 17 | Deliberately omitted – please ask if unsure | |
| 20 | HECKLER – (CHEER)* around K=thousand,L=pounds | |
| 22 | ASEPTIC – A(nswer),S(c)EPTIC | |
| 24 | LATIMER – REMIT(t)AL = pardoning of sin, reversed | |
| 25 | LIONISED – LIED = song, around (SION)* | |
| 26 | BATTING AVERAGE – cryptic definition, mean = average | |
| 28 | PAINT – P(owder), AINT = isn’t | |
| 29 | LEADER – LEER = unpleasant look, around AD = these days | |
| 30 | LE MOT JUSTE – MOT = car test, JUST = only, inside fLeEcEd | |
| 33 | ALTARPIECE – (REPLICATE A)* | |
| 35 | BUSTLE – BUST = broke, LE(g) = limb | |
| 37 | NEDDY – NEEDY = poor, with the central letter changed | |
| 39 | FORWARD-LOOKING – FORKING = revealing split, around WARD = beds in hospital, LOO = toilet | |
| 41 | ROOT CROP – (TO POOR)* around C(hee)R | |
| 44 | RISKING – cryptic reference to the fact that R is an abbreviation for KING | |
| 45 | TONSURE – cryptic definition | |
| 46 | KURSAAL – AS = like, RU = Rugby Union = sport, in LAK(e) = loch, all reversed | |
| 47 | Deliberately omitted – please ask if unsure | |
| 49 | BALL VALVE – BALL = dance, VALE(ta) around V(ery) | |
| 53 | UPHOLDING – central letters of (da)UPH(in) (sc)OLD(ed) (k)ING(s) | |
| 54 | EMINENT – MINE = working, in ENT = Ear, Nose, Throat = hospital department | |
| 55 | TERRA – ERR in TA | |
| 56 | HELLS ANGELS L,L = lines, SANG = celebrated in HEELS – despicable people | |
| 57 | LEMON CHEESE – LEMON = unsatisfactory type, CHEESE = word for one to be snapped (photographed) | |
| Down | ||
| 1 | MARESCHAL, MARES,C(aught),HAL = Prince Henry | |
| 2 | CONFLICT OF INTEREST – cryptic double definition | |
| 3 | Deliberatley omitted – please ask if unsure | |
| 4 | HARBOUR SEAL – HEAL = make sound, around ARBOURS = garden retreats | |
| 5 | Deliberately omitted – please ask if unsure | |
| 6 | COIN-OPERATED – COIN OPERA refers to the Threepenny Opera by Brecht/Weill, all followed by alternate letters in TrEnDy. The clue does not quite work for me | |
| 7 | HAEMOSTATS – HAS around (MOST TEA)* | |
| 8 | Deliberately omitted – please ask if unsure | |
| 9 | AMONTILLADO – A MO = a second, N(o)T,I’LL,ADO | |
| 10 | DOR BEETLE – (OLDER BEET)* | |
| 11 | OPPO – OP,PO(t) | |
| 12 | TALC – T(he) C(racker) around AL | |
| 18 | AMBASSADOR-AT-LARGE – (ABROAD MASTER A GLASS)* | |
| 19 | GREENERY – GREENE,R(eall)Y | |
| 21 | LEISTER – a salmon spear. The cryptic refers to Aleister Crowley who, according to Wikipedia was a mystic and ceremonial magician. I had never heard of him, although I vaguely recall the salmon spear | |
| 23 | CONCERTO – ONCE,RT in CO = company | |
| 27 | CATCH OUT – double definition | |
| 28 | PLATFORM – triple definition? | |
| 31 | JANITOR – JAR around (u)NIT,O(ld) | |
| 32 | QUINQUENNIAL – QUIN = one of five, QU(e)EN, (IN A L(ine))* | |
| 34 | INDIGNATION – IN DIG = where archaelologists discover, NATION = state | |
| 36 | EXOSKELETON – (LOOK TEEN SEX)* | |
| 38 | SKIN DIVERS – SKIVERS = shirkers, around IND(ia) | |
| 40 | ACID SALTS – ACID = drug, SALTS = sailors | |
| 42 | PILFERAGE – EG, A(re), RE-FLIP = what MPs have done, all reversed. For any non-UK readers the re-flip refers to repeated changes in the designation of one’s main residence to avoid taxes. Apparently legal, but of questionable morality, and a topical way to clue the word | |
| 43 | SEA BREAM – SEA = Baltic, (AMBER)* | |
| 48 | ARGUE – R(esistance) in AGUE | |
| 50 | VETCH – VET = carefully check, C= about, H(eight) | |
| 51 | Deliberately omitted – please ask if unsure | |
| 52 | DHAL – LAD reversed around H(enry) | |
The Essence of the All is the Godhead of the True
to which the adept would respond,
The Vision of Visions heals the Blindness of Sight